Falling
by Galya
Summary: Rory and Jess plan a creative friends weekend together, to work on their writing. They learn more about each other than they'd hoped. During the events of Fall. Spoilers for AYITL. Rory/Jess
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Pure fluff. Just the way scenes could have played out through Fall. A bottle episode, if you will.

…..

"Hey," Jess said with a smile as he sat in front of Rory, at her desk at the Gazette. "Thanks for seeing me chief. I might finally have a lead on that Spider Man."

"Thank you," Rory laughed. "I could use the distraction. I was just writing a piece on the heated debate on whether or not to discontinue The Butter and Eggs Day parade."

"Where will children be able to have a bounce house made of cholesterol then?"

She laughed. "So what's up?"

"Don't read a whole lot into this, but I'm just a little worried about Luke," replied Jess rather uneasily. " He is a bit more Ron Swanson than normal. Since you are here more than me could you just check in on him... for me."

"It's mom."

"Yeah. He thinks she's going to leave him."

Rory frowned and leaned back in her chair. "What do you think?

Jess laughed. "Are you honestly asking me to understand the inner workings of your mother's mind? All the little people in her head would just be different colors of coffee. Look I get you. She is on another level."

"Oh you get me?" She smirked.

"Yeah," he said, rolling back his shoulders.

"Lucky," Rory sighed. "Because, I don't get you."

With a smile he leaned forward in the squeaky leather seat. "I'm not that complicated. I like what I like and don't pay attention to nonsense."

They both held each other's gaze for a moment and smiled.

"So," he mused. "You'll check up on him?"

"Absolutely. But I need you to report to me too, whenever you're in town sir. I'm staying at Lane's, sometimes at the grandparents place...for the time being."

"Okay," he nodded not pressing for more.

…

The phone in his pocket buzzed as Jess fumbled with his keys to his apartment. All he wanted was to collapse on his bed after the train ride from Connecticut. It buzzed again as he finally got the door opened, but dropped his bag. Pushing the door open with his foot as he reached for his bag, it buzzed again. Frustratedly he made it in, grabbing the phone from his pocket.

"Hello?" he snapped, trying to keep his balance.

"It's Rory. Is this a bad time?"

"No, just got home. I know it's you," he laughed. "You're picture popped up on the screen."

"What picture is it?"

Jess paused for a moment, standing in his living room, taking off his jacket. "Er...the one you took, I think four or five years ago. You were highly offended that I didn't have your new number and I think it was Thanksgiving. You had too much wine and grabbed my phone, put your number in it and took a selfie of yourself sticking out your tongue."

"You are such a writer."

"Why?" he grunted, throwing himself on the couch.

"You remember everything."

"Can't help it," he grunted as he kicked off his boots. "I am pretty awesome."

Rory laughed. "Okay, well, I just had dinner with Luke. He is pretty depressed. I think you visiting a lot more will help."

"I'll try, but I got a job," he scoffed. " A life."

"I know. But he isn't going to open up to me."

"He isn't going to be Baker Acted. I just wanted you to check in and let him know he is still loved by at least one Gilmore."

Rory was quiet for a moment. "My mom loves him."

Jess groaned. "I know. I'm sorry. I just -"

"Yes."

"You ladies are lovely, not gonna deny it. You got that "The party don't start 'till I walk in" thing going for ya. But she can be selfish. Coming from a pretty selfish guy myself. And for anyone for it to be done to, it shouldn't be Luke Colonel Brandon Danes, who only wants to make her happy."

"I know."

There was a pause for a moment, again. "Rory, you still alive?"

"Am I...selfish?"

"What's the size of the scale we're talking about?"

"Adam!?"

"Hannah!"

….

The Gilmore House still was looming and cold, even without them physically being there. Jess stood in front of the door remembering the few times he had been there before. His embarrassing meeting with his stupid black eye and the time he…

He shook his head. He shouldn't have snuck all the way into her room like a love sick puppy. That last night was just embarrassing, with Logan and…. He was an adult man now and he wasn't going to think about that or her visiting him at the printing house or the kiss.

His fist knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Rory called.

Jess opened the door and walked into the very empty and large house.

"I'm in the office!"

"I don't know where that is!"

"Oh, right," she laughed and stuck her head out of a room. Her hair was in a messy bun on top of her head and she was in very loose flannel pajamas. "Was struck by a moment of inspiration and didn't want to lose it."

"No worries, beautiful."

She glared at him and disappeared back into the office. After a moment he followed suit. Inside was a large mahogany covered office, with books and smoking chairs. Rory sat typing furiously away at the desk on her laptop. The lights were low.

"Are you secretly a Cullen's?"

"Shh," she playfully hissed as she typed.

He wandered all the way to right behind her. She stopped typing for a moment, rereading what she had written.

"You misspelled ishkabibble," Jess snarked from behind her.

She shushed him again and typed a few more words, then faced him. "Okay, you can read it."

"You sure?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed jumping out of the chair. "I need you to read it. I want you to read it. You promised. Before dinner with Luke, you'd read at least one chapter."

"Willst thou shush me henceforth, milady?"

"Sorry," she laughed and escorted him to the chair energetically. "I'll go change and leave you to the chapter."

"You sure? I mean granny chic is very in."

"Shut up and read!" She scolded and hurried out the office.

Jess removed his leather jacket and settled in for the night.

' _Gilmore Girls. Chapter One.'_


	2. Chapter 2

"That was miserable," Rory groaned as the Prius pulled out of the driveway from her childhood home.

"He was the Walking Dead ," Jess agreed.

"Well...we can try again next week."

Jess nodded, " I have the next few days off, and offered to stick around but he actively refused."

Rory shook her head sadly. "Guess we just have to let him have his space."

"I guess."

"Do you need me to take you to your mom's then?"

"No."

"But where are you going to stay?"

"Under an overpass. Syria. I don't care," he replied simply. "Just not there."

"The old apartment over Luke's? I think it is really now April's domain when she visits, but it's there."

"Nah, I'm cool," he sighed. "Just take me to the train station. I have stuff I need to work on anyway."

"Well," Rory said glancing at him. "You can stay with me. You said you have a few days off. You can help me with my book and you can work on anything you want. A lock in creative slumber party."

Jess laughed. "Are we going to do each other's hair?"

"We do have practically the same length. Could share styling guru tips."

"You sure?" he smirked. " I won't stop mocking your flannel pajamas just because I'm a guest."

"Yes."

Jess shrugged. "Okay."

…..

The thirty two year old man, sat laid back on the Georgian couch as Rory paced around the sitting room of the Gilmore Estate as the sun set.

"So, does it work? From the one chapter you read? Should it be a story like my life, ala _Bell Jar_? Or go full _Me_? I mean... I changed the names, you saw."

"Yeah," Jess smirked. "But you use Gilmore in the title. I think it will be pretty obvious this is your life. Unless you use a pseudonym."

"No," Rory said shaking her head. "I will write our story, just with different names."

"What's mine?" he asked with a big grin.

"What makes you think you're in it?" she smirked, stopping with her pacing.

"I am such a presence," he scoffed. "How could I not be?"

She was quiet for a moment and met his eyes. "I'm calling you Dodger." Once again they held each other's gaze for a moment, then she went back to her pacing. "I'm hungry. You hungry?"

"We just ate!"

….

The left over pizza they ordered was on the lavish dining table next to open bottles of Coke and rum.

"So will there be a sequel to The Subsect? Inquiring minds want to know." Rory asked laying back on the couch as Jess stared out the window watching the rain, both had a highball glass in their hand.

"Doesn't really need one."

"But what if Warner Bros said, hey have we got a deal for you? Not just one show on Broadway but two! And the villain has ice blue hair and is the love child of you worst enemy!"

" Spoilers," Jess laughed. "I was working on a slice of life book. Me and my old roommate Tony, did that cross country road trip a couple years back. Sparked some short stories. Walking through isolated snow in Laramie, seeing the water lines on the outside walls of New Orleans, losing your wallet and heart on the Rail Runner through Albuquerque."

"I'm always running behind, just like this train."

His silhouette stayed unmoved as lightning flashed outside. Her mind was swimming a little in a nice floating sort of way. With a smile she got up and found her way, standing next to him.

"If you can't find your goodness…" she sang softly and off key. "Cause you lost your heart."

"We met these girls who worked for a touring ballet," he began.

"Ballerinas?" Rory scoffed. "Tall and sleek?"

"No... they dressed the ballerinas." He smirked facing her, the flashing lightning creating a glow across his face. "One was very short and curvy and the other was rough and loud, with bright pink hair."

"Which one stole your heart?"

"Neither," he laughed, settling down to the carpeted floor. "That was all Tony. I'm not a romantic. That story just comes off soft, stagnant and simple."

"Nice alliteration."

"I don't do relationships in a way that's interesting to read," he continued. "So, I don't know how to write it."

Rory joined him on the floor, tucking her feet under her. "I'm sure it's fine."

"Exactly," he agreed. "It's fine. I can't get into someone's head like that. If it's me, I just go up to a girl and let her know pretty quickly I'm interested. If she reciprocates then we go out. If not I move on. That's not interesting to read. It's about the chase. How they peruse each other."

Rory leaned forward with a smirk. "You pursued me."

"And when you weren't interested I moved on, with..er...what was her name."

"Shane."

"You remember her name?" Jess laughed.

Rory shrugged. "What can I say? She made an impression."

Jess laughed and looked back out the window.

"If memory serves," Rory teased. "You did a very good job not pursuing me, right in front of me."

A slow smile crawled across his lips before he faced her again. "Well I never said I had class. Plus I was seventeen."

"I think it's nice," Rory interjected. " Being honest and not having the drama. I mean the chase or whatever is fun, but if it doesn't lead to anything in the end….it can...really really suck"

….

The bottle was empty, as Rory spun in the office chair. Jess was seated in a smoking chair , holding a snifter of her grandparents brandy.

"First kiss?" he asked.

"Dean."

"Really?" He smirked, with a raised eyebrow.

"Yup...at Doose's," she stated, head high, stopping the spinning of the chair. "He held two soda cans behind his back, asked me to choose. I think I was told to close my eyes."

"Very Fifty Shades."

"Then he kissed me, I panicked and accidentally stole corn starch."

"Naturally."

"You?"

"Er...fifth grade. Jenna Langston. 7 minutes in heaven at a birthday party. I lied and told my friends I got to second base, when all I did was hold her hand and give her a pop kiss."

Rory leaned back in the leather chair. She smiled dangerously. "First time?"

Jess rolled his eyes. "Can I phone a friend?"

"Come on Mariano."

"I was 15 and she was older."

"Did she ask you to read to her excerpts from the Enlightenment?"

"Not that much older," he smirked. " She was in her twenties. I was pretending to be older to get into a concert. I remember after just thinking I was a boss hooking up with an older woman. I don't remember the band."

"Yes you do. You remember everything don't you? How she smelled and her lotus flower tattoo above her butt."

His smiled broadened. "The Rapture. It was a Saturday. And she had a pulse line tattooed over her heart."

"Beautiful," she replied rising from the chair and sauntering over to him. "Ever thought since she was attracted to wittle baby you, that maybe she was also fifteen pretending to be older to get into a concert?"

"I do now! Thanks for ruining my teenage dream!"

"Sorry not sorry," she gloated and took the snifter from his hand and took a sip.

"You're first time?" he asked playfully indignant.

"Dean."

Jess sat up, eyes wide. "Are you kidding me? He's winning all the solid gold kewpie dolls!"

Rory shrugged as she glided out of the office. "Hey...I like to be consistent."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: This story will follow Fall, but might deviate in some areas.

…...

"First...first love?" Rory asked as she slipped on the wet stones outside the house.

Jess tried to catch her, but his inebriated reflexes weren't fast enough and she fell on her bottom.

"Very graceful," he smirked, extending his hand.

She reached up, taking his hand and tried to get up. After a few moments of shared clumsiness, she regained her footing and they began their walk outside.

"Petrichor," he sighed, breathing in deep.

"You didn't answer."

"I know," he replied with a smile and stuffed his hands into his pockets, walking ahead.

She felt an odd lurch in her stomach and followed behind him. "I think it was Dean for me."

"Do his lips taste like coffee or something?"

"It was the first time I allowed myself to even really pay attention to a male that wasn't a tragic Russian novel character or in Regency garb."

Jess made a grunt of acknowledgment.

Rory continued, "You were the first...more emotional type of love. Think all day about, act like a moron type of love."

"So lustful?" he jeered.

"Passionate."

He shrugged. "I do have nice hair."

A small chuckle escaped her lips and they continued down the wet and cold road through the rich but enchanting neighborhood. They paused at the top of a hill looking down at the blinking lights. Rory hummed and began to sway spastically to the music in her head.

"You okay there, Left Shark?"

"I'm not drunk."

"Right," he mused.

"I'll have you know, sir, that I can hold my liquor."

"Oh, I can see that."

"You're mocking me."

"Yes I am."

She pouted, turning to face him. "I am worldly. I have done...things. I jumped off a scaffolding!"

"In a harness."

"I've traveled Europe."

"In Four Star hotels," he pointed out, facing her, rocking on his heels.

"I saw the running of the bulls!" she exclaimed.

"You ran?"

"I watched... very energetically."

He laughed and kept walking, heading down the hill.

"Hey," she huffed, jogging behind him. "I am writing a book!"

He didn't respond, glancing back at her with a smirk.

"You told me to do it!" she snapped.

"I suggested," he corrected her. "You didn't have to do it. I'm not Shia LaBeouf. You don't have to do anything you don't want. Who are you trying to impress?"

The words locked her in place. "No one."

He sighed and walked back towards her, leaning close. "What do you want to do?"

"W-what?"

"Tell me," he said with a soft smile. "You have just been spouting off the things you've done and you don't seem...happy. So, what will make you happy? Like how you used to spazz out over a new book and smell it."

"I didn't smell it."

"Yes you did! So...tell me. Right now. Tonight at," he looked at his phone. "At 12:13 am. In the middle of Hartford. Just us. Tell me, what you would want to do to make you happy."

"I…" Her eyes stung. "I don't know."

"Yes you do. If you don't...who does?"

…..

The television flickered in front of them. They had turned the television to be directly in front of the ornate sofa in the sitting room. The classic Georgian coffee table was holding up their feets as they leaned against each other, remote in Rory's hand.

"What are we watching?" he scoffed, barely able to keep his eyes open, as he pulled close the duvet cover they were sharing.

"Grease 2," she announced proudly. "A classic. Teaches us about the trials of high school, with songs about reproduction, cool riders, and bowling."

"Well...now I'm hooked."

"And….play," she commanded and pressed the button.

The title screen appeared as they began to watch the movie. After a few minutes, her eyes heavy, Rory whispered. "Who was your first love?"

"Christina Aguilera."

"Come on."

"Especially, in the Dirty video."

"You're not going to answer?" she whined facing him.

"Nope."

"Hate you."

"No you don't." he said with a nudge. "Now, watch the movie. They are going back, back, back to school again."

…..

The sunlight began to creep through the large glass doors that lead to the back yard. Jess blinked his eyes open and instantly felt the stiffness of his body from the awkward position he had fallen asleep in. He also realized he was alone and groggily reached for his phone. It was 10 am.

"Rory?" he called, sitting up.

He didn't hear anything and began to walk around. He called a few more times and finally heard a response from upstairs and found her in a bathroom, doing her hair.

"Morning sunshine," she smirked. "You snore by the way."

"You drool."

He observed the bathroom and the plethora of beauty supplies laid out. They were organized even though there was an insane amount by his terms. All he ever traveled with was toothpaste, deodorant and hair gel.

His eyes settled on a large purple hexagon box and picked it up."Pokedex?"

"Birth Control pills."

"I thought you broke up with Paul."

Rory's eyes grew wide and she smacked her forehead.

"Rory!"

"I keep forgetting."

"Poor Paul," he chortled, putting the purple box down.

"I know," she groaned, then met him with an annoyed look. "You know, you don't need to have a boyfriend to be on 'baby begone pills'."

"True," he replied with a shrug, sitting onto the lip of the bathtub. "Too bad mom was always stoned during health class and never learned that."

Rory gawked at him with a gasp. "Is she pregnant?"

He nodded, his jaw tensing.

Rory cheered while rubbing hair serum between her palms. "Another Doula."

He glared up at her, his hands gripping the tub's side.

"Come on Doula's adorable, with the blonde uncombed hair and intense yarn doll obsession."

"Lalaloopsy." he said with a smirk. "It's not the baby I'm concerned about. I love my sister. I just wouldn't wish my mother on anyone."

"She's not that bad," Rory scoffed, looking back in the mirror, stroking down fly aways.

"Whatever," Jess replied, looking away. "Anyway...I'm starved."

He got to his feet and headed to the hallway.

"You..okay?" she asked cautiously.

"Yeah," he said strained and walk out.

Setting down her brush, she followed. "Jess?"

"Want breakfast?" He asked hurrying back down to the main floor.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yes," he snapped, catching her off guard, then sighed. "Sorry, just hangry."

She nodded slowly and let him go as he headed into the kitchen.


	4. Chapter 4

"It's a great book!" Rory exclaimed as she pulled out a box full of photo albums in the basement.

Antique items of furniture and Christmas decorations from Bloomingdale's, were organized and neatly labeled around them. In a back corner were stacks of boxes labeled _Richard's_.

"The movie was a medieval Lifetime movie," Jess replied, leaning against several Louis Vuitton trunks.

"Because they only wanted to highlight the threesome between Arthur, Lancelot and Gwen," Rory groaned, flipping through pages of the album. "I'm telling you it's a really good take at a well known folktale through pagan and feministic view, while still being beautifully written."

"Okay, I'll take a look at it. Then you have to read _Under the Banner of Heaven."_

"You know," Rory smirked. "A girl I knew got picked up because she was reading that."

Jess chuckled. "I know a tale of murder instructed by God always gets me going."

Rory held up the album showing him a photo of her mother as a child. "Admit it, I'm a clone."

"You're a clone."

Rory stared at the picture and shook her head. "She was dating a musician when I was a baby, and made a bed out of one of his guitar cases for me to nap in."

Jess didn't look surprised as he softly smiled.

"Sometimes I am astonished Child Protective Services never got called on her," Rory laughed. "Silly mom."

"Yeah," he replied as his smile wavered.

….

The sun was bursting through the clouds as the afternoon rolled in. Jess sat inside, headset on, music streaming into his ears, as he daydreamed on the sofa. Outside Rory was scribbling on the printed first chapter of her story. She tore a page out, then another as Jess opened his eyes. The sliding glass door was open and he could hear her sigh heavily.

"What's wrong?" he asked, half awake.

"It's rubbish."

"You need to let go of your British vernacular, you're in 'Merica! And no it isn't."

Rory slouched in the lawn chair. "Yea it is. I can't write, which is why my pieces aren't getting picked up."

"Rory…"

"Naomi was -"

"Insane?" Jess laughed, getting up and heading outside.

"That's what Logan said," she laughed.

Jess stopped moving, cocking his head to the side. "Logan Christian Grey, douchebag extraordinaire, Logan?"

An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment.

"I saw him every now and then in London," Rory replied as simply as she could.

"Okay," Jess shrugged and took a seat opposite her.

"It wasn't anything."

"I said okay," Jess huffed. "But you acting all squirrely indicates that it was."

Rory held his gaze for a moment then whined. "I...got myself out of it."

Jess leaned forward, brows furrowed. "Meaning?"

"I may have been seeing him while in London... but...I put an end to it."

"Ah," he nodded.

They were both quiet for a while again, then Rory sat up and said softly. "It was almost a month ago. It was fun in the beginning but… not good in the end."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me."

Rory nodded and Jess got back up awkwardly and headed towards the house. He was silent until he got to the sliding doors. "What about Paul?"

Rory breathed in sadly, staring at Jess's back, feeling the disappointment flowing through the air from him.

"I just keep…."

"Forgetting," he stated quietly. "Right."

…

The notes and paper fluttered slightly in the wind as Rory wandered the outside patio. Try as she could to recall happy moments with her family out here, she kept falling back to the way she had just felt, speaking to Jess. She jumped when she suddenly heard his voice.

"I can catch the last train tonight," he suggested calmly, appearing behind her. "Or the earliest one tomorrow. Just need to be back in Philly by three."

Rory nodded, eyes fixed to the ground in shame. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"Asking you to stay here," she sighed. "I thought it would help. The thing is, I told my mom about the book and she went full on "keep it safe, keep it hidden". We had a bit of a falling out."

"Why? Too Big and Little Edie?"

"She's embarrassed I guess," she sighed,sitting on the stone barrier of the garden. "It hasn't always been ideal...me and her. I guess she didn't want people to know she wasn't a perfect mother. Tried to be the complete opposite of Emily and...sometimes it didn't always work."

"I'm pretty sure, she wasn't that bad," he sighed, his agitation starting to creep through.

"Thought you'd help me focus and I feel like I...have just burdened you."

"Stop that!" He snapped.

"What?"

"Acting like a little kid who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar," he huffed. "If you aren't happy, then fix it."

"It's not that simple!"

Jeff scoffed. "Of course it is!"

"I...just.."

"What!?"

"I just don't want to add yet another thing I am failing at to my resume," she cried. "Can't hold onto a job, estranged from her mother, don't really have friends, can't keep a man."

Jess threw his hands in the air and walked away from her.

"Jess!" She called following him passed the patio, down the path that lead to the pool. "Jess!"

"What!?"

"Please don't be mad at me."

"How old are you?" Jess asked, whirling around.

"Hey!"

"You want me to be your friend? Absolutely. You want me to support your writing? I am there." Jess snapped. "But do not get mad at me because I can't be behind you for every crappy thing you do to people. A good friend calls you out on your shit. So sorry, but you are acting like a spoiled brat."

"Like you are so much better than me? You hate your mother and the only fault she has is being a bit too Auntie Mame to your liking."

Jess stepped closer to her, his voice deep and stern. "Do not act like you have any idea of what my life was like with Liz."

Rory shrugged. "All the time I've known you, growing up, you brooded about what a wack job your mother was, and in the end she was just a ditzy hippie. You judge people too harshly."

"Right," he laughed with mirth. "I judge her too harshly. You live this world of sunshine and rainbows, with your quirky mother telling you how perfect you are and that town worshipping you. In the made for TV movie musical, you and Lorelai will both be played by Zooey Deschanel."

"Jess-"

"How hard was your life, Rory?" Jess steamrolled on. "Did your mother ever pass out in a bathtub when you were three and was so out of it, that three year old you found her lighter and set the hotel curtains on fire? Did your mother's boyfriend kick you and her out of a car in the middle of Jersey, so that you had to spend the night on the street? Did she?"

Rory's eyes were welling up and she shook her head.

"Liz thinks I don't remember," he growled. "But I do. Luke wasn't the first time Liz dumped me on someone's door step. I was in a foster home at one point, my paternal grandparents for a bit and then some family friends. At least when Ben's family got rid of him, he got to go to Jedi summer camp. The second Doula is on her way to college, there is no way you could pay me to set foot in Liz's house."

Breathing hard, Jess stomped off, past Rory.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Gonna get a little AU. More of a what if?

* * *

Rory stared at the giant phone in her hand. After a deep breath she dialed the number. It rang and she half hoped he wouldn't answer.

"Hey," a man spoke from the other side.

"Hey Paul...you...busy?"

…..

Sitting in a extended pool chair, was Jess staring up at the slowly greying sky. He had calmed himself enough to not be clenching his jaw anymore and tried to clear his mind.

"Jess?" Rory asked, coming around the pool.

He didn't reply and barely nodded at her.

"I broke up with Paul," she breathed. "It should have been more obvious to me how badly we were together since I couldn't remember him, but can easily recall every lyric to _Barbie Girl_."

" _Barbie Girl_ is a classic."

"One of the first things you learn," she continued. "when writing an essay, is to not use the word "I" repeatedly. Should also apply to speaking. It's been used so much by me these days that, it has lost meaning and blinded me to anyone else."

Jess began to sit up.

"You are right," she said her voice cracking. "I am spoiled like Joss Stone. My life hasn't been bad. Complicated yes, but hell, what a charming and lovely life it's been. No wonder I want to write it. Share it with others to enjoy a warm blanket of anecdotes about town festivals and smuggling jelly beans into the movies amidst the chaos of reality." Slowly she sat on the end of his pool chair. "You deserve a better friend than me."

"You are…" he said softly patting her hand, then added, with a knowing smirk. "When you want to be."

She pouted and he started laughing.

"I want to be," she whimpered, tears glistening in her eyes. "I really do. You are so important to me. Your opinion and your-"

He squeezed her hand, pulling back the snark. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere. Sorry…I was-"

"Grumpy?" She laughed softly and squeezed his hand back. "Well, you are related to Luke."

"And, I know Liz is trying," Jess mumbled, his voice deep. "But, never once did she apologize. Just skipped -"

Rory lay her finger on Jess' lips, her words soft and genuine. "You don't have to explain yourself to me."

A whirl of wind whipped around them. Over the hedge a flurry of white pages went flying into the air.

"My book!" Rory screamed and went running towards the hedge as the pages flipped and tossed in the air.

Jess jumped to his feet and attempted to help as page after page went flying towards them and several pages landing in the pool. Both friends met each other's eyes, then fell to the pool. With a whimper Rory took a step towards the blue water.

"You have it backed up, right?"

"Yes, in the cloud."

"Well," Jess replied with a shrug. "now, so are the pages."

Rory groaned. "But, not the notes I wrote."

"Leave it. The water's freezing. They have to have one of those...cleaning scoop things."

"Pool supplies are in the shed behind the pool house."

Jess nodded and headed towards the shed, when an ice cold rain drop fell on his head, then another. They met each other's eyes in defeat as the sky opened up on them in front of the pool house. Quickly the rain began to saturate their clothing as they ran inside Rory's old bungalow.

"Shit that's cold!" Jess screeched as he slammed the door behind her.

Rory nodded, her shoulders beginning to shake. "C-come on."

She lead him towards the bathroom and they both grabbed fine egyptian cotton towels and swaddled themselves. As they furiously wrang out their hair a nervous laugh began to bubble up in Rory. "You know what the worse thing is?"

"Diphtheria?"

"Wet underwear."

"That was my second guess."

…..

The rain swirled outside creating a wall of water, making it hard to see the main house in the distance. Rory sat on her old custom designed couch, wrapped in a duvet. She relished the way it felt around her bare skin as her clothing was hang drying in the bathroom.

"Your grandmother could have installed a dryer in preparation for such an occasion as this." Jess huffed as he jumped onto the couch, another blanket wrapped around him, His shirtless torso partially peaking out.

"How dare you even fathom the thought of a Gilmore doing laundry," Rory gasped playfully. "The fact that I know what fabric softener is, would make her kvetch."

He sighed, making a nest of his blanket. "I turned the air up."

"Good," she smiled pitifully, her wet hair making her shiver.

"Still cold?"

She nodded stiffly.

"Then come here," he laughed, extending out his bare arm. "Shared body warmth."

"I'm naked," she laughed.

"I've seen more scandalous bathing suits on TMZ."

"No, for real," she laughed. "I am naked. You are still in your underwear?"

"Yes," he nodded. "About to cook up some meth in a second."

"Don't tell my grandmother you sat with a wet butt on her couch."

"A bare butt would be better?"

"Nothing is worse than wet underwear."

Jess began to laugh loudly. "So, I take it you finally bought some?"

"Yes," she tutted. "Obviously. Very cute and five for twenty five bucks, on sale"

"How frugal."

He tossed back his head and felt the water droplets drip down his neck. It made him shudder, so he shook his head violently like a dog. The water went spraying everywhere jolting her skin with an ice cold sensation.

"Stop!"

He grinned mischievously and did it again, leaning forward, aiming at her. She reached out, the duvet slipping off her shoulder as she playfully smacked him to stop.

"You're evil incarnate," she chortled, barely able to place her hand on his head, to make him stop.

With a laugh he settled down and her hand slipped from the water, down the side of his face. She felt a familiar jolt in her stomach and smiled weakly, pulling back her hand begrudgingly. They stayed there smiling at each other as whistles of the storm outside filled the silence.

"So, when you are interested in a woman," Rory whispered. "You said you let them know, right?"

He blinked for a moment, but didn't scoot back. "Yes."

Her face did not attempt to hide her disappointment. "Oh."

"Unless," he added warmly. "We have history and she is naked under a blanket, in front of me and I don't want to seem like I am taking advantage of the situation."

If she didn't have the duvet, she was sure she would be warm enough by the flush that went through her body, suddenly.

"Rory," he continued, a soft smile on his lips. "Tell me what you want to do."

Rory thought for a moment, her breath hitched in her throat. She met his eyes and with a confident smile replied. "Kiss you."

"Then...do it."

Their faces grew closer and softly their lips met again after almost a decade apart. It was as if no time had passed the moment they touched. Their lips remembered instantly what to do. But, the barrier that they had never broken before, now hung between them. They had never been this unclothed before each other, causing both to fear being the first to cross the line, to go too far. But, soon the embrace began to grow feverish, their hands gripping desperately to each other's shoulders and hair. Happily, Lorelai Leigh Gilmore stopped thinking and the firm grip she had on the duvet released. She let it slip away completely and closed the gap between them.


	6. Chapter 6

"I think you missed your train," Rory teased, breaking through the contented silence they had fallen into, as their bodies lay in her old bed.

Jess let out a laugh and kissed her forehead. "That's why they invented tomorrow morning."

A blissful smile came across her face as she nuzzled against him, her eyes closing. The rain had slowed down to nothing more than a drizzle. Slowly she began to drift off until his deep voice awoke her.

"I have something I need to tell you," Jess whispered.

"What?" Rory asked, locking her fingers in with his.

Jess' voice was very stern as he tilted her chin up with his finger, to make their eyes meet. "The night I came to have dinner with your grandmother a billion years ago...the night with the black eye?"

"Yes…" she replied warily.

"I lied. I wasn't hit by a football. It was...a swan," he replied, his lips fighting a smile.

Rory blinked for a second, then sat up, looking down at him. "Wait...what?"

"It's true," he stated in mock intensity. "I didn't want you to find out from anyone else."

"Like...who...the swan?"

"I don't know what circles he moves in."

Rory shook her head with an amused smile, then picked up a pillow and smacked him in the face with it. Quickly he pushed it away and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close.

"You're an idiot," she chided as she playfully struggled to get away.

"Very true," he smirked and pressed his lips against her as he flipped her on to her back.

….

Soft footsteps were heard as the office door opened. In the dark room, behind the blue glow of the laptop, sat Rory typing away.

"It's 4 am," Jess yawned as he stepped in.

"Sorry...inspiration just struck me."

With heavy eyes Jess wandered to behind her and kissed her neck."Was it 'cause you saw my ass?"

"Absolutely," Rory sighed, reading fake prose from the screen. "Undulating with desire, Adrian removes her crimson cape, at the site of Reginal's stiff and-"

"Okay," he yawned again. "As long as you are fine, I'm going to go back to sleep and leave you to your licentiousness."

Rory stopped typing, turning to face him. "What's another word for engorged?"

"Tumescent?" he smirked and kissed her.

The kiss lingered for a moment and Rory began to fall into it deeper, until she remembered she was writing and gently pushed him back."Goodnight goodnight. Parting is such sweet sorrow."

"That I shall say goodnight until Suri wakes me up at seven am. Maybe eight. I'll probably hit the snooze a few times."

"Go!" she snorted.

…

"I swear they gave you my coffee," Rory insisted as they sat in the Prius, idling by the Amtrak station.

"It tastes the same to me."

She smiled and shoved the coffee cup in his hand. "Trade."

"Do I get a choice?"

Without a response she took his coffee cup and sipped it. "No, you're right. It's the same. Over brewed and bitter. Weird."

"I was just accosted by you needing her caffeine fix and Starbucks tasting generically the same is weird?"

She sighed with a smile and tapped her cup against his in a cheers. "Sorry." Taking another sip, she glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "It's almost nine."

"I still got around fifteen minutes."

She nodded simply and continued her drink. "So...should we acknowledge now what happened or another time...like next Christmas or when Haley's comes by again?"

He jested with a wink and slid close. "Need more details for your book?"

"It's not a dirty book!"

"But imagine all the money you could make. The movie rights alone. I stipulate that James Franco needs to play me." A soft smile spread across his lips as he kissed her gently, then sat back. "You know, when I was around sixteen, I had been working really hard on my OC audition, and got kicked out of school...again. So, I was sent to live with my Uncle Luke."

"Flannel shirt? Backwards cap?"

Jess continued. "Being stuck in Middlebury was hell on earth. I was beyond pissed, like Yacht's fake sex tape pissed off...until I met this girl. She liked the same music and books as me, but she was a bit of a brain. So, I immediately decided I was going to seduce this girl and fulfill my destiny as a true dick. I thought It would be fun and it was pretty hilarious to make her extremely tall boyfriend twitch. I mean he was abnormally tall."

Rory looked a bit anxious to speak, but held her tongue, for once.

"But, when I finally got her," Jess said, softly leaning forward again. "Things changed and I actually fell for her. My first love, you could say. I had never really felt a need to be connected to a girl in mind and body before. Though, don't get me wrong, body was initiating most of my actions."

Rory smirked, looking away for a moment.

"I ran away, like I tended to do when things got too hard or real. A year later I blurted out that I loved her in the middle of a festival and in return, _she_ ran away. Which I always found very poetic."

"And...how did it end?"

"It didn't," he replied, his hand stroking her cheek. "We had years of a true platonic friendship and grew together trying to find ourselves. 'There is a passion for hunting something deeply implanted in the human breast'."

Rory eyed him curiously. "What is that from?"

"Figure it out," he smirked. "I'll call you when I get home. We can figure out next weekend. You haven't been to Philly in a while. Show you all the hipster gourmet burger joints that cost more than your car."

"I also," Rory added. "haven't seen your new place."

"I am not a piece of meat, woman."

Rory chuckled.

"So what do you think? I'm pretty happy with that plan," Jess whispered, when out of the corner of his eye he saw the clock. "And now I do have to go." He cupped her face and kissed her deeply, then grabbed his bag.

As he climbed out of the car, Rory opened the window. "I'm happy with that."

He smiled and turned towards the station, as the train could be seen in the distance, pulling up. Running off, he was in such a hurry, to Rory he looked like he had stolen something, when her brain clicked.

"Oliver Twist!" Rory suddenly called out the window.

Jess turned around, running backwards and nodded with a smile, before returning his attention to the train.

* * *

A/N: I don't usually write slice of life fluff, but that was fun. Thanks for reading!

References: spider man, butter and eggs day parade, parks and rec, inside out, sense and sensibility, girls, twilight, granny chic, walking dead, bell jar, me, the cursed child, fifty shades of grey, the rapture, doctor who, Katy Perry at the Superbowl, Shia lebeouf, grease 2, Christina Aguilera, Pokemon, lalaloopsy, mists of Avalon, under the banner of heaven, Lord of the rings, Grey gardens, auntie mame, zooey deschanel, Ben Solo, aqua, joss stone, the cloud, tmz, ten things I hate about you, Romeo and Juliet, Siri, Starbucks, Haley's comet, James Franco, the OC, YACHT, Oliver Twist


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